Ooarai Girls Academy vs. Kuromorimine Girls Academy
The battle between Ooarai Girls Academy (bracket number 8) and Kuromorimine Girls Academy (bracket number 13) was the final match of the 63ʳᵈ National High School Sensha-dō Tournament. Ooarai had fought Pravda Girls High School in semi-finals and Kuromorimine had fought St. Gloriana Girls College. The match grounds consisted of grassy field, a mountain and an urban area. The match ended in a victory for Ooarai Girls Academy. Battle Premises Just before the match Miho was visited by her former rivals Darjeeling, Orange Pekoe, Kay, Alisa, Naomi, Katyusha & Nonna that come support her for the upcoming battle. Later during the greetings she is taunted by Erika but later comfort by one of the girls that she saved during the last tournament. Plundered from the forest The match begins, Ooarai moves forward towards a defensively advantageous hill according to plan. Yet they have barely left the starting location when they come under concentrated fire from Kuromorine tanks, who have already closed the distance and ambush the Ooarai formation from a forest using their signature blitzkrieg tactics. Scrambling to regroup amid their first exposure to the essentia of the Nishizumi Style, Ooarai allow the flag tank, Anglerfish Team's Panzer IV, becomes exposed. Erika's Tiger II has a clear shot at the rear of the retreating Panzer IV and takes aim. Chi-Nu saving the match Meanwhile, Anteater Team, having had little time to familiarise with their tank, are having trouble controlling the transmission, and accidentally send the Chi-Nu into full reverse. Erika fires on the Panzer IV, but at the last moment the reversing Chi-Nu backs into the line of fire, taking the shot in their stead. Kuromorimine thus inflicts the first casualty of the match. Operation Smokey & Hetzer Harassement Following the ambush and the loss of Anteater Team, Ooarai forces regroup on the go and retreat under the cover of smokescreens. Kuromorimine follows, confident that Ooarai will not be able to get away due to the weak engine of the Tiger(P), but Ooarai maintains speed on the uphill by having their other tanks tow the Porsche Tiger. Turtle Team harasses the Kuromorimine forces, blowing the tracks off a Jagdpanther and Panther, slowing the attack long enough for Ooarai to adopt defensive positions atop a hill. Battle of Hill & Operation Baiter Kuromorimine launches a frontal assault on the Ooarai position. Although a Panther and Jagdpanzer IV are immobilized, Ooarai firepower is insufficient to overcome the fearsome armor of the Jagdtiger. Just as Kuromorimine closes on the Ooarai tanks, Turtle Team approaches from behind, driving their Hetzer into the very midst of the Kuromorimine lines, causing them to panic from the close range threat. Ooarai's renewed bombardment eliminates another tank and charges through as the formation falls apart. Erika gives chase alone, and has a clear shot when Anglerfish Team use their tank to shield the automobile club members, who are performing repairs on their tank. However, the heavy Tiger II is unsuited to high-speed cross-country driving, and the tracks snap, costing Erika the shot. Breaking the Siege & Retreat to Town Ooarai makes it away whilst Kuromorimine pull back into formation, but are blocked by a river. Whilst crossing, the M3 Lee's engine fails, leaving Rabbit Team stranded in the water, at the mercy of the current. Whilst terrified of a repeat of the previous year's scenario, Miho is encouraged by her friends to save the first years, and hence abandons her post to take a tow cable to the M3, leaping across the backs of tanks to reach the stricken vehicle. Covering fire from other Ooarai tanks and a harassment attempt by the student council fails to delay the Kuromorimine advance, but Miho successfully gets the tow cable hooked onto the M3 Lee, and the disabled tank is towed to safety. Rabbit Team successfully restarts the engine once out of the water, and Ooarai escape just as Kuromorimine shells rain down on the riverbank. Shadowed by only a single Panzer III scout, Ooarai retreats towards a town. En route, they cross a bridge, and Leopon Team puts their 60-ton tank into a wheelie, slamming back down on the bridge and demolishing it, such that the main Kuromorimine forces are required to take the long way around. Introducing : The Maus Entering the urban area, Miho spots the Panzer III, which flees. Ooarai chase after the supposedly isolated scout tank. Just when they catch up to it, what appears to be an automated wall blocks their line of fire. It turns out to be Kuromorimine's trump card, the Pz. VIII Maus, the largest super-heavy tank ever built. Impervious to Ooarai's weapons, even those of the StuG III and Tiger (P), the Maus advances on the Ooarai vehicles, quickly taking out Mallard Team and Hippo Team. As Ooarai scramble to fall back, the scene cuts to the rest of the Kuromorimine tanks closing in on the town. Erika Itsumi grins upon hearing that the Maus has entered the battle. With Mallard Team and Hippo Team both eliminated from the match by the PzKpfw. VIII Maus, Ooarai is on the retreat, struggling to inflict damage on the super-heavy tank. The Maus rounds a corner and is taken under concentrated fire by Ooarai gunners, but Kuromorimine's heavily armoured secret weapon rolls through the barrage unhindered. The Panzer III, following close behind, becomes overconfident and weaves cheekily out to get a better view, and its commander is punished for her arrogance by a direct hit to her tank. With the Maus now alone, Ooarai continue to attack, but even the side and rear armour of the super-heavy vehicle is impervious to their weapons. With other Kuromorimine forces closing in, Miho devises a risky plan to utilise Ooarai's remaining tanks to neutralise the Maus. Ooarai face down the Maus on a freeway, and rush in to close range. The Hetzer leads the charge, dodging a shot before ramming the Maus head on. The wedge-like shape of the Hetzer lifts the front end of the Maus off the ground, preventing it from manoeuvring. The M3 Lee and Tiger (P) attack from the side, baiting the Maus into aiming at them. Taking advantage of the opening, Duck Team use the Hetzer as a jump ramp for their Type 89B, driving on top of the engine deck of the huge vehicle, and positioning their tank to jam its turret in position. Anglerfish Team ascends the embankment on the side of the freeway, gaining a shot down into the engine vents. The Maus tries to push the Type 89B off its engine deck using its turret, whilst the crew compartment of the Hetzer begins collapsing under the Maus' heavy weight. The Panzer IV fires at the vents behind the Maus' turret, and Kuromorimine's secret weapon is defeated. However, the damage the Hetzer received causes it to break down, taking it out of the match also, and leaving Ooarai to continue the fight 4 tanks to 14. Operation Woozy Despite the numerical disparity, Miho Nishizumi recognises that each team only has one flagtank, and sets up a plan to split Kuromorimine forces and engage the enemy flag tank in a one-on-one duel. Duck Team is assigned to lead away the spearhead. Rabbit Team deploys to attack the tank destroyers at the rear. Leopon Team prepares to help isolate flag tank, the Tiger I commander by Maho Nishizumi. Anglerfish Team, being Ooarai's flag tank, acts as bait to lure the Tiger I into a favourable battleground. Operation Kelly's Heroes Rabbit Team locates the end of the Kuromorimine file and attacks the Elefant tank destroyer bringing up the rear. The Elefant abandons formation to chase the M3 Lee. Karina Sakaguchi lures the vehicle into a tight alley, then circles round to the rear. As a large tank, the Elefant is unable to turn around, and with its gun fixed in a forwards position, it cannot return fire. However, the even the rear plate of the heavy tank destroyer is too thick for the M3 to penetrate. As Rabbit Team begin to despair, Saki Maruyama speaks for the first time in the series to point out the Elefant's weak point, the ammunition loading hatch. Rabbit Team fire into the hatch, immobilising the Elefant. The next Kuromorimine tank in line, the Jagdtiger, is lured into another alley and Rabbit Team perform the same operation. However, rather than try to turn around, the Jagdtiger accelerates away, to escape from the narrow alley. Giving chase, Azusa Sawa has a revelation and has Karina hit the brakes, stopping just before the Jagdtiger fires past the blind corner, so close that it shears the paintwork off the front of the M3 Lee. The Jagdtiger then advances forwards into the same alley, as the M3 Lee retreats in reverse. The narrow alley leaves the M3 Lee with no room to manoeuvre, but Karina keeps it alive by hugging the front of the Jagdtiger and keeping the her tank underneath the arc of the Jagdtiger's gun barrel. The Jagdtiger attempts to separate, but is unable to shake off the more nimble medium tank. Instead the Jagdtiger tries pushing the M3 Lee backwards down the alley. Yuuki Utsugi sees that they are approaching a ravine, and devises a plan to keep the Jagdtiger away from Anglerfish Team. The M3 Lee turns at the last moment, allowing the Jagdtiger to continue forwards under its own momentum and topple into the ditch, immobilising it. However, a parting shot from the Jagdtiger as the M3 Lee turns away knocks out Rabbit Team as well. Compelling Provocation Duck Team brings up the rear of the Ooarai chain, and gets the attention of the Kuromorimine commanders by firing and cheekily bumping into the larger tanks. Despite Maho Nishizumi's orders to only chase after the Ooarai flag tank, the Kuromorimine students lose their tempers and become determined to teach the pesky Type 89B a lesson. Duck Team weaves in and out of the Kuromorimine formation, zigzagging erratically and driving on the sidewalk to annoy the Kuromorimine heavy tanks as much as possible. Blinded by their fury, The Kuromorimine vanguard breaks off en masse to chase down the Type 89B, and in doing so leave the Tiger I relatively exposed. However, the infamous Kuromorimine firepower is not to be denied, and Duck Team is eventually knocked out from a direct hit. Last Stand of the Leopon Although they split off previously, Leopon Team arrives to rendezvous with Anglerfish Team in front of a closed building complex. Anglerfish Team is being pursued by a host of Kuromorimine forces, headed by Maho Nishizumi in her Tiger I. The Panzer IV dashes into the closed building complex, and the Tiger I follows close behind. Leopon Team is next, but rather than drive through, they park their tank across the entrance, blocking the remainder of the Kruomorimine force from passing. Refusing to get out of the way, the Tiger(P) takes the full force of the Kuromorimine assault on the chin. Leopon Team hold the line alone and drag down several Kuromorimine tanks with them. Unfortunately, the arrival of Kuromrimine heavy firepower, in the form of Jagdpanzer IV and Jagdpanther tank destroyers, brutally ends the last stand under an unrelenting barrage. However, even the wreck of the Tiger(P) still blocks the entryway. With the flag tank duel still raging on inside, and the recovery team still a distance away, Erika Itsumi resorts to having her Tiger II climb over the wrecked Ooarai tank (and several of her own tanks as well) in order to support Maho Nishizumi. Final Battle at Point HS0017 Alone in the closed building complex, there is no further ground for the Panzer IV to retreat. In a brief lull before the final battle, Maho Nishizumi chastises her sister for disregarding the Nishizumi Style and fleeing from the enemy. Knowing that this is their only chance to take out the Tiger I, Miho agrees to settle the match here and throws her tank into combat. The resulting high speed battle is fierce and vicious. Both tanks jockey through the complex to try and outmanoeuvre, out-position and outgun the other. Grazing hits from the Tiger I's high explosive blow the Schurzen spaced armour off parts of the Panzer IV, whilst the Panzer IV dodges an equal number of shells through evasive action. Upon learning that Leopon Team has been knocked out and that Kuromorimine reinforcements are imminent, Anglerfish Team commits to an all-or-nothing manoeuvre in order to decide the match. Dodging a shot from the Tiger I, Mako Reizei uses the gap in the reload to close to point blank range and puts the tank into a high-speed drift, an action that causes the Panzer IV's tracks to snap, but allows it to circle around to the rear plate of the Tiger I. Yukari's reload beats the Tiger I's turret rotation and Hana plants a shot directly into the engine of the Kuromorimine flag tank, just as the Tiger I also fires. Aftermath Smoke obscures the results, whilst additional Kuromorimine forces pull around the corner. As the smoke cloud lifts, it reveals that the Panzer IV avoided the final shot by a whisker, whilst a white flag flies from the Tiger I. With the Kuromorimine flag tank immobilised, the commentators announce that the match, and the tournament, have been won by Ooarai Girls Academy. The crowd erupts in cheers, including those of the watching commanders of other schools. Anglerfish Team arrives back at the garage, where they are welcomed by the ecstatic congratulations of the rest of the Sensha-dō club. Miho is then congratulated by her sister for her victory and finding her own style. Miho saved the school from closing... for now. Gallery Chi-Nu a poor start.png|Anteater Team saving the match. Panther7Out.png|Ooarai's first kill in the match Incomiiing.png|Incoming !!!!! JagdIV17Out.png|Jagdpanzer IV shot down by StuG. B1vsMaus.png|B1 Bis getting Maused StuGMaused.png|You will not avenge Mallard Team WhoShotMe.png|WHO shot me ???? FalloftheColossus.png|Destroyed by Teamwork HetzerBreakdown.png|Maus should do a diet. Elefant knocked out.png|Operation Kelly's Heroes. M3LeeDisposed.png|M3 Lee thrown away by Jagdtiger. JadgtigerUpsideDown.png|Flip into the canal. Porsche tiger, you shall not pass..png|You shall not... PASS !!!!! LeoponVictims.png|Leopon's first victims. JagdIVLeopon.png|Jagdpanzer IV tasting Leopon's 88mm. Type89KMM.png|Type 89B after encounter with a 88mm shell. TigerPMauledAnime.png|Tiger(P) mauled by 5 tanks. Damage to Maho's Tiger I.png|You can't handle the drift. Category:Battles Category:63rd Sensha-Dō Tournament Category:Flag Matches Category:Kuromorimine Girls' High School Category:Ooarai Girls' High School Category:Timeline